Airship-propeller.



A. J. LOGKWOOD.

AIRSHIP PROPELLER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 28, 1910.

Patented Aug. 15, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A. J. LOCKWOOD.

AIRSHIP PROPELLER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 28,1910.

1 ,OOO,528', Patented Aug. 15, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

leam Lawn! jut/maniac amw 5. 219x4 M,

- Adv Cbbtazneq ALBERT J'. LOGKWOOD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

AIBSHIP-PROPELLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 28, 1910.

Patented Aug. 15, 1911.

Serial No. 574,363.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT J. LOOKWOOD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Airship-Propellers, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in propellers for air ships andmore particularly to that class of air ships known as helicopters, theobject of the invention being the production of a propeller which shallbe so designed and constructed as to be capable of withstanding allordinary strains to which the parts thereof may be subjected.

A further object of my invention is to provide a propeller which shallbe simple of construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and efficient inoperation.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

lVith these objects in view my invention consists in the novelconstruction and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter fullydescribed and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specifica tion, and inwhich,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved propeller in its preferredform, Fig. 2 is substantially a vertical central section, Fig. 3 is adetail perspective view showing a propeller blade, Fig. 1 is a detailtop plan view, and Fig. 5 is a detail view showing the construction ofbraces employed in the propeller.

The preferred form of my invention as illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings comprises a vertically disposed power shaft 1 to the upper endof which is secured a hub 2, the latter being provided with a circularradially extending flange 3. Radial spokes 1 which are rectangular incross section are provided with wedge-shaped inner ends 4 which arearranged contiguously on the flange 3 and bolted thereto, the divisionsbetween said wedge-shaped ends being co-incident with radii of saidflange. The spokes 4 are twisted as at 5 in order that the body or mainportions thereof may be disposed at an angle to the plane of the flange3, thus acquiring the proper inclination for the propeller blades 6which are bolted along their centers to said spokes, bolts 7 beingprovided for this purpose. Each propeller blade 6 is provided with aseries of bolt holes 8 through which bolt-s 7 are adapted to pass forsecuring said blade to the spokes l. Inclined brace rods 9 are threadedat their upper extremities and provided with nuts 10, said threadedportions passing through perforations 11 provided adjacent thelongitudinal edges of each blade 6, by means of which construction saidblades are rigidly reinforced. The lower ends of the brace rods 9 arearranged in groups formed as by welding into short rods 12, the latterbeing provided with threaded extremities 13. Nuts 14 are provided forsaid threaded 6X tremities 13 of the brace rods 9. The rods 12 areadapted to flt into the perforations 15 of the circular flange 16 and beheld rigidly in such position by means of the nuts 14, said flange beingformed integral with a hub 17. Hub 17 is located below the hub 2 andbolted rigidly to the shaft 1, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

In order that a minimum of resistance may be created, when the propelleris in operation, one longitudinal edge 18 of each propeller is made verythin, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

A propeller of the construction set forth, due to the rigid mounting andreinforcing of the blades thereof, Will produce a minimum of vibrationand be efficient in operation.

While I have shown what I deem to be the preferable form of my improvedhelicopter, I do not wish to be limited thereto as there might bevarious changes made in the details of construction and arrangement ofparts described without departing from the spirit of my invention, andhence I desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fairlyfall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. In a propeller, a power shaft, a hub bolted to one end of said shaft,a radially extending flange on said hub, a series of spokes rectangularin cross section and having wedge-shaped contiguous ends which arebolted to said flange, twisted portions in said spokes adjacent theWedge-shaped ends thereof by means of which the body portions spokes,and means for reinforcing the edges of said blades, substantially asdescribed.

2. A helicopter propeller comprising a vertical power shaft, a hubhaving a radial flange bolted to the top end of said power shaft, aseries of closely arranged spokes bolted to said flange, the divisionsbetween said spokes being in co-incidence with radii of said hub, saidspokes being rectangular in transverse section and having their lllttlllportions disposed at an angle to the plane of said hub, transverselycurved propeller blades bolted to the angular portions of said spokesand having a plurality of perforations adjacent the edges thereof, aperforated flange located on said top shaftvbelow said hub, and a seriesof brace rods connecting the perforations of said blades with saidperforated flange, substantially as described.

3. In a helicopter propeller, the combination with a vertical powershaft, of a hub having a radially disposed horizontal flange bolted tothe top end of said power shaft, a series of closely arranged spokesbolted to said flange, said spokes being rectangular in cross sectionand having their main portions disposed at an angle to the plane of saidhub, transversely curved propeller blades bolted to the angular portionsof said spokes and having a plurality of perforations adjacent the edgesthereof, a perforated flange located on said power shaft below said hub,and a series of brace rods connecting the perforations of said bladeswith radii of said hub, said spokes being rectangular in cross sectionand having their main portions disposed at an angle to the plane of saidhub, transversely curved propeller blades each having one sharplongitudinal edge, said blades being bolted to the angular portions ofsaid spokes and having a plurality of perforations adjacent the edgesthereof, a perforated circular flange located on said power shaft belowsaid hub,

and a series of brace rods connecting the perforations of said bladeswith said perforated flange, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT J. LOCKWQOD.

Witnesses HELEN F. LILLIs, JOSHUA R. H. Porrs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing" the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

